Few nature pics

[CathyA]

Our property has grown so much this year! I love it! It's hard not to go out every day (sometimes 2-3 times) in my golf cart and find more beautiful things to get pics of. Just had to share a few with you.

The first is a hummingbird moth and a question mark butterfly on a milkweed blossom.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_6788cropped_zpsdb806e55.jpg


This one is a red-headed woodpecker. This is the first year (in 32) that we've had several of them hanging around the property!
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_6508redheadedwoodpecker-2_zpsde0c5c6c.jpg

This is Teasel. It's considered a weed, but I love it. When it's in bloom, it attracts more butterflies than anything else.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_6647_zps543338ab.jpg

This is a monarch butterfly on milkweed. Milkweed is the host plant for the monarch's larva. It's also considered a weed, but extremely important to the survival of monarchs.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_6678_zps5631ae40.jpg

This is a green frog (its name), and is one of the couple that are hanging out in my little stocktank water gardens. They make a sound like a single plunk on a banjo string.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_6810_zps88eef56b.jpg

And last, but not least......a pic of my mason bee house. I gave one to a friend, and she has about 18 tubes filled. I only have 1 and 1/2 filled. Mason bees are solitary bees who are also very important for pollination. You can see the one tube that's filled with mud and eggs.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_6824_zps6df035d3.jpg

[Gardenarian]

Thank you Cathy! I always love to see your pretty photos.
Did you plant the milkweed or does it just grow on your property? I got some seeds but they didn't germinate.

[CathyA]

Thanks Gardenarian. They grow naturally around here. But I have collected the seeds and thrown them in more places. The wind also does a great job at dispersing them! They started to over-take my garden last year and grew to 9 feet! I've thinned them out so the ones in my garden are now only along the fence. I've probably pulled out dozens of starts in-between my vegetable plants already. It is a very aggressive plant that makes underground runners. It only grows to 2-3' in the fields.......so I'm thinking it was really enjoying the garden soil nutrients!

Where are you planting the seeds?
I have to throw in another pic! :)

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/IMG_2302sharpened_zps580ac7a5.jpg

[JaneV2.0]

Your photos are stunning. I selectively encourage weeds too, among the ground cover.

[razz]

Lovely!

[Tussiemussies]

Love seeing all of your photos. Nature is so amazing. Your sure have dine a lot if projects, the mason bee house is so interesting! Thanks Cathy....

[Jilly]

I love the hummingbird; they are so difficult to photograph. Same thing for hummingbird moths.

The person (I am being kind here) who cuts the grass for my landlord has once again completely shredded my ground fabric. I noticed when I came home this morning. I have been thinking about it for some time and am going to replant with milkweed. There are so many different kinds and sizes and it will be lovely.

[CathyA]

Thanks everyone! I have to say, it's hard to ever take one of my cart rides without my camera.....and I feel like I'm not "in the moment", since I'm always trying to find a good pic. This afternoon I rode out to the garden to pick beans, then down the lane to get the mail, and I made myself not take my camera. The whole time I kept hoping I didn't see anything too neat! haha